A Little Dirt Never Hurt, it’s How I Cleanse my Soul.

I am 44 years old. I am missing a leg and an elbow. I have a few pounds on me and I am an Olympic athlete. Every time I pull on my running shoes and feel the laces tighten, I am transformed. There was once a part of me that was filled with such a sheer joy for running. My feet would strike the ground with fury and passion. My heart would race and I would tear through the world with wild abandon. My lungs straining, my muscles burning, my legs driving me on, and all the while, a huge smile spread across my face. Then, one day, an unfortunate situation and a fateful decision took it all away from me forever…or so I thought.

For 25 years I trudged through the world trying to forget that part of myself. Thinking it lost forever, I saw no reason to dwell on it. It wasn’t that I was not determined or driven. It wasn’t that I did not want it badly enough. It was simply that it wasn’t fun anymore. That “thing” that made it such an amazing part of my soul was gone. What had once brought me such joy now seethed with pain and frustration. I grudgingly settled into a less active lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong, I was thankful and happy to still be here, but my life was diminished. My light still shined but not as brightly. Then, fate came at me in a rush (no pun intended).

A move to a new town, yet another broken carbon fiber foot, a mistaken call to the wrong office and a chance meeting with a futureprosthetist would change everything. Fast forward just over 2 years and now I stand at the start line of yet another 5k mud pit obstacle course. All those years of pain and frustration wash over me and I feel cleansed. I shift my weight and test my footing as I anxiously wait for the start gun to fire. I look down at my new friend and I kneel slightly as my fingers trace across it’s edges. My heart races as I feel the crowd shift and edge forward. The moment is near.

I think back to my training for this moment. I think back to all those early morning runs with Nacho urging me on. I think about every moment of my life leading up to this instant. “BANG!” Electricity flows through my body and my heart races as I explode into a flurry of motion. Tears well up in the very corners of my eyes. I am running. I am smiling and, once again, I am happy. You see, I’m not really an Olympic athlete but on my RUSH Foot® I feel like one … every … single … day.

Be sure to tune in next month for more fun and adventure with Marky5Toes and his Sidekick Nacho. Visit our Facebook page atFacebook.com/rushfoot. Make sure to LIKE our page and visit regularly for upcoming blog posts, informative videos, and to meet and chat with all your favorite RUSH® Rebels, ReBELLES and Rascals.